Shower head



Nov. 21, 1961 G. w. WEHRLE SHOWER HEAD Filed May 13, 1959 INVENTOE: 65026: W. WEHELE; wqfli flw HTTOENEYS United States Patent 3,009,654 SHOWER HEAD George W. Wehrle, 317 N. Pine St., Centralia, Ill. Filed May 13, 1959, Ser. No. 812,982.

' 3 Claims. (Cl. 239-499) The present invention relates to a shower head constructionand particularly to a substitute shower head construction which may be placed over an existing shower head.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a substitute shower head which may be used where an existing shower head is defective or otherwise improperly operable. -In furtherance of this object, there is provided a shower head having a flexible skirt terminating in a neck section, which has a zipper along a substantial portion of its length. The zipper opens from the top, providing the opening out of the skirt and neck section. By such means, the device may be inserted over an existing shower head when it is unzipped and thereafter, when the zipperis closed, the device may be effectively sealed to the pipe above the existing shower head.

Attached to the lower end of the skirt is a housing section which includes a shower outlet. Such shower outlet, while being conventional, will nevetheless be operable so. that, in its position below the existing shower head, as water passes in a downward stream from the existing shower head, it will flood the housing area above the substitute shower 'head and thereafter be sprayed through the nozzle opening provided in the substitute shower head. i

In addition to the outlined primary object of this invention, it is an additional object thereof to provide a shower head which may be placed over an existing shower head ofYany number of sizes ranging from a very small diameter to a relatively large one.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a substitute shower head which is extremely flexible in application and in removal.

Other objects will be apparent from a more detailed description of the invention.

Lln the drawings? :FIGURE' 1 is'a pers'pective'view of the substitute shower'head; and" i ..F IGURE, 2 is a view in section taken vertically through the' center "of the" substitute shower head.

The substitute shower head is indicated generally at numeral 1'01 'As can be seen from the cross-sectional view of FIGURE Z, theshower head is adapted to he slipped over an existing shower head'11 which is attached to the end 12 of a water pipe 13. Because of the zip pered construction of the present substitute shower head, the 'size of the existing shower head 11 may be quite large while yet permitting the use of the substitute shower head 10. t

The body of the substitute shower head is illustrated as comprising a neck section 15 of a uniform diameter throughout its length (which, in the illustrated embodiment, may be 1 /2 to 2 inches long). At its lower end 16, the neck section -15 evolves integrally into a skirt section 17. The skirt section 17 extends divergingly from the neck section 15 downwardly to a level which will be be low a shower head on an existing pipe 13 when the de vice is installed. The diverging configuration of the skirt section 17, providing increased horizontal diameter of the skirt section and consequent increased interior size of the shower head 10, defines a chamber 18 within which an existing shower head 11 will be disposed when the substitute shower head 10 is installed thereabout.

The neck section 15 and its integral skirt section 17 are preferably constructed of canvas or other suitable material which is both flexible and waterproof. In addition, the neck section has its interior surface coated with a soft seal 19, of sponge rubber or the like, extending:

from the top of the neck section 15 to its lower end 16. The seal 19 may be glued and .stitched at 20, as illustrated, to the canvas neckportion 15.

It has been discovered that most shower head pipes are /2 inch nominal diameter or /2 inch tubing, although some are 4 inch. Therefore, most of the present substitute shower heads are made having a neck section internal diameter of inch so that when attached andzipped to a pipe 13, the rubber seal 19 will be compressed tight against the pipe. The substitute shower head also may be made with a larger neck section to accommodate The skirt 17 will end in a horizontally planar lower edge 22. Attached to the inner surface adjacent the lower edge 22 of the skirt 17 will be a flanged, pan-like frame 23. The flange 24 of the frame 23 surrounds that frame 23 and extends at right angles to the pan section of the frame 23. The diameter of the flange 24 exteriorly thereof is the same as the interior diameter of the skirt 17 immediately above the lower edge 22. Thus, the frame 23 may be inserted upwardly within the skirt 17 generally-co-planar with the lower edge 22 of the skirt 17 with the flange 24 lying adjacent the inner, lower "surface of the skirt 17.

It will be observed that an opening 26 is provided in the frame 23 centrally of the horizontal pan section for the passage of water from the existing shower head. i 9

A housing 28 includes a cylindrical flange portion 29 which is longer than the flange 24 of the frame 23, and

which is also of greater diameter than that flange 24. The interior diameter of the flange 29 is approximately the same as the exterior diameter'of the skirt section 17 immediately above the lower edge 22 of the skirt section 17. It will thus be apparent that the cylinder-shaped flange section 29 of the housing 28 may be applied about the outer, lower surface of the skirt 17, opposite the flange 24 of the frame 23. A sealing glue is applied at both of the surfaces 30* and 31 of the skirt 17 for Water tight sealing engagement withthe flange 24 and the flange 29 and-additionally, rivets 32 are driven through the three members (the flange 29, the' skirt 17 and --the flange 24) to provide added security to the joint.

Depending from the cylindrical flange 29 of the housing 28 is. an inverted, dome-like section 34 which surrounds a threaded projection 35 depending from it. The dome-portion 34 preferably slopes downwardly so that water caught within the housing will tend to run downwardly towardthe-projection 35. The threaded projection 35 is adapted to receive the threaded section 36 of a conventional shower head nozzle 37. The nozzles 37 may be formed having various spray characteristics for the purchaser to choose from with interchangeability of one nozzle for another being a characteristic of this invention.

-A zipper 40 is attached vertically to the canvas neck portion '15 and skirt portion 17, and extends from the top of the neck portion 15 downwardly to a point a short distance above the housing 28. The zipper 40 is sewed at 41 to the canvas and is also glued to provide a Water tight attachment to the canvas, as is well known 7 the zipper 40 will be opened for passage of the neck section over the existing shower head 11. After the substitute shower head has been passed over the existing defective shower head 11 so that it is adjacent to the pipe 13 above the existing shower head 11, the zipper may again be utilized to close the canvas section and thereby bring together the flaps of the neck section 15. As the neck section 15 is enclosed about the pipe 13, the soft rubber seal 19 will be pressed against the pipe 13 effecting a water tight seal connection of the substitute shower head 10 about the pipe 13. Thereafter, as water passes from the existing defective shower head 10 it may spray haphazardly in awkward directions, but it will be caught by the interior surfaces of the substitute shower head '10 and will fall downwardly to fill the housing 28. From there it will rush downwardly into the projection 35 to which the shower head 37 is attached and will emanate from the shower head 37 in a uniform spray.

It can be seen therefore that the instant invention permits the application of a substitute shower head 10 to an existing shower head without necessitating the removal of the existing shower head from the pipe to which it is attached. Thus, the placement of the instant substitute shower head is accomplished without the use of the special pipe and plumbing tools heretofore required in such an operation.

If it is later desired to change the shower head, it may be easily removed by unzipping the zipper 40, thereby permitting the substitute shower head 10 to drop from the existing shower head 11.

One very important function contemplated for the present invention is the provision of a substitute shower head for travelers. Since the greater portion of the body of the shower head is flexible canvas, and since the nozzle 37 is removable, it will be appreciated that the substitute shower head can be readily folded into a compact size and carried in a small plastic bag or container. Thus, a traveler who visits an inn having a defective or unsatisfactory shower head may yet take a pleasant shower after the simple application of his substitute shower head.

It can therefore be seen that an extremely flexible substitute shower head is herein provided for.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the process of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A substitute shower head for fitting over an existing shower head attached to an existing pipe comprising a substantially rigid frame having a larger lateral periphery than the lateral periphery of the existing shower head, means for admitting water through the frame, a watertight, sheet-like base depending below the frame, shower nozzle means through the base for dispersing water, a flexible cover fastened to the base and extending upwardly therefrom, neck means depending upwardly from the cover for embracing the existing pipe, zipper means extending longitudinally from the top of the neck means over at least a portion of the flexible cover for admitting the substitute shower head over the existing shower head when unzipped and fastening the former to the latter when zipped.

2. A substitute shower head for fitting over an existing shower head attached to an existing pipe comprising a rigid frame having a larger lateral periphery than the lateral periphery of the existing shower head, means for admitting water through the frame, a water-tight, sheetlike base depending below the frame, shower nozzle means through the base for dispersing water, a flexible cover fastened to the base and extending upwardly therefrom, neck means depending upwardly from the cover for embracing the existing pipe, the neck means being elongated with resilient seal means lining the inner surface of the neck means for clamping about the pipe, and zipper means extending longitudinally from the top of the neck means over at least a portion of the flexible cover for admitting the substitute shower head over the existing shower head when unzipped and fastening the former to the latter when zipped.

3. A foldable substitute shower head for fitting over an existing shower head comprising a flexible foldable cover having an upper neck portion for clamping to a water pipe above the existing shower head, the flexible cover having a lower portion of larger periphery than the periphery of the existing shower head, frame means for spread ing the lower portion of the flexible cover, zipper means for spreading the upper portion of the flexible cover to allow passage of the existing shower head for attachment to the substitute shower head, a base depending below the frame means, and perforation means through the base, the overall height of the base and frame being substantially less than the height of the cover to allow compact folding of the substitute shower head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,711 Myers Mar. 28, 1922 1,459,975 Flemming-Williams June 26, 1923 1,823,276 Lucius Sept. 15, 1931 2,121,354 Johnson June 21, 1938 2,179,932 Hartman Nov. 14, 1939 2,547,983 Slattery Apr. 10, 1951 2,690,930 Corson Oct. 5, 1954 2,708,123 Risley May 10, 1955 2,747,932 Volk May 24, 1956 2,765,197 Chimbole Oct. 2, 1956 

